Palliative care could improve on boomer demands

Baby boomers could influence changes in palliative care in coming years, experts say.

This post-World War II generation, which is experiencing end-of-life care through their parents, will insist on personalizing the dying process, the Baltimore Sun reported. More and more nursing homes are offering palliative care options.

Expanding palliative care at home may be critical for the healthcare system, says Ira Byock, chair of palliative medicine at Dartmouth Medical School. Currently, only 20% of people die at home. That compares to 60% in hospitals and about 20% in nursing homes. If these percentages continue, the baby boomers will be a drain on the healthcare system, Byock said.